I am an intermediate (74kg) here in Jericoacoara starting to learn to wave ride (down the line). I have a skate 100 and starboard quad convertible 76 (2010), which I use the standard quad fins. I am still learning to gybe and tack properly but I have progressed so that I can consistently bottom and top turn down the line here on both boards. I really like the quad when I can position my self to wave ride. However the wind in the wave riding area is very light, and in order to avoid a tedious slog it is necessary to blast out the back for a bit to get into position. I was using a 4.7 yesterday for example.

I have now trouble getting planning on the quad, but I am finding it difficult to maintain enough speed to quickly blast upwind, across 1-2m open water chop/waves. I am sure that is my technique, as I appreciate this is probably a little too advanced board for me. Would I be better of with a single fin, (I have a 21cm fins that I have never tried). Or is the something I need to concentrate regarding my stance to get on some sweet spot of the planning flat to unlock the boards speed?

In comparison my skate which is very flat keeps it speed as I bash my way over the chop much easier, but is not in the same league on the wave.

I would like to overcome this hurdle, so that I can use the board more, and be more comfortable on it in general, or is a pure wave board always going to me more difficult to maintain speed?

As a general rule I tend to sail slower than most, which may be problem right there as don't tend maximize my speed when I have the opportunity and tend to slow right down in the lulls.

Any tips? or do I just need to improve my overall sailing before I can enjoy this board more.

Ola_H

23rd December 2010, 05:05 AM

I think it's largely a matter of technique, but you should definitely not think the board is to advanced for you. I'm sure you will improve by the day.

The "special" thing with the 76 (and its siblings) is that you have a lot of fin area on it, but most of it is placed very far forwards. This means that unlike on a single fin, you can not load the back foot up as much. The key is hence to try to stand a bit more upright over the board and not push the back foot. Then, the board can track upwind in an astonishing way. To get into this "tracing mode" is easier the faster you go, so a major no-no is pushing upwind too early, before getting up to a bit of speed. With some practice, it will track upwind at slow speeds too, but then it is even more important not to push the back foot.

If you're into tuning, a bit longer harness lines might help you get more upright and get off the back foot.

Using the boards as a single fins might help you get a bit better feel for the hull itself. Another option would be combining the (super soft and flexy) 15cm front fins with a real center fin around 16-17cm and (for starters) move it back in the box a bit. This will shift the center of efort of the whole fin cluster back and make the board react more "normal". Such a setup will surely help you go very well upwind with less technique change. Then you can gradually move the front fin forwards and later move back to a quad setup to get more looseness out of the board.

Tell us how things proceeds.

Ola_H

23rd December 2010, 05:07 AM

To summarize: when sailing the board upwind, concentrate of keeping it flat, fast and flying and don't try so hard to push it upwind. Then it will almost by itself go upwind. Some even complain that it feels like this board wants to go upwind more than the sailor.

racerX

23rd December 2010, 09:23 PM

Thanks Ola!

I went out again with a 21cm side shore choco revolution, before you had a chance to reply and wore my self out with little improvement, trying different things. After reading your tips, I don't think I am heavy on the back foot as my bigger freestyle board and fin has cured me of that. But the two things that I am sure that I am doing wrong now are: 1. I am very eager to head up wind, and probably pointing too high too early. 2. I am not keeping the board flat enough, and railing it far too much to windward, I suspect the front foot heel pressure required by my other board, a wide freestyle board translates into too much railing on this narrower board, in anycase I am not keeping it flat.

I will give a rest for a few days and then concentrate on keeping it flat, fast and flying and don't try so hard to push it upwind. Then it will almost by itself go upwind